By Daanyaal Matthews
The African Union hosted a high-level conference on debt this week in Lomé, Togo, under the theme “Africa’s Public Debt Management Agenda: Restoring and Safeguarding Debt Sustainability.”
Speaking on VOC’s Newsbeat, Dr. Paul Kariuki, Executive Director of the Democracy Development Programme and convenor of the African Policy Circle, described the conference as crucial—particularly in light of mounting financial challenges in countries such as Kenya and Senegal.
“One of the most important things coming out of this conference is the acknowledgment that African countries with high debt levels need to adopt a different approach to managing their resources and debt if they want to achieve any meaningful development or economic growth,” said Kariuki.
He emphasised that the urgency of the gathering stems from the growing risk of countries being placed under international financial review due to mismanagement.
“The bottom line is that if this trend continues among the same countries, there will be serious repercussions for economic growth. Eventually, they may reach a point where they can no longer manage themselves and end up being managed by institutions like the IMF or the World Bank—or even by superpowers like China or the USA,” Kariuki warned.
For Kariuki, a fundamental shift is needed in the mindset of African leadership. He argued that leaders must focus more on citizen-centred development rather than political self-interest.
“It is time to prioritise citizen-centred development—one that places the needs of citizens far above political parties, politicians, or any other interests. The problem we face in Africa is that many leaders are not responsive to the plight of the very people who elected them,” he asserted.
Listen to the full interview here:
Photo: UNEca
